BMW to End Mini Production at Magna Steyr

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

MINI Countryman cars being assembled at Magna Steyr’s Austrian facility.

The Kleine Zeitung newspaper reported on Thursday that the BMW Group will end contract production of Mini cars by Magna Steyr in 2016. Automotive News reports that the Austrian supplier currently builds the Mini Countryman and Mini Paceman. BMW will move production of the two models to BMW’s own Mini factory in Oxford, England, and to Mitsubishi’s former NedCar facility in the Netherlands, where the Dutch group VDL will start Mini production under contract later this year. Magna Steyr’s corporate parent, Magna International, said in a statement that its relationship with BMW will continue through a new vehicle manufacturing contract.

“The new production program would start following the end of production of the current Mini models Mini Countryman and Mini Paceman being assembled by Magna Steyr in Graz.” No details were given on specific models that Magna Steyr will be assembling under the new contract.

According to the Kleine Zeitung, Magna Steyr’s role will not be to build particular BMW Group cars but rather it will hold capacity for a variety of models as demand dictates. Those would likely be high-volume models like the BMW 5 series and 3 Series cars. The newspaper says that the contract will probably cover a volume of over 100,000 vehicles over 6 to 7 years.

Neither Magna Steyr or BMW has commented on the report.

Magna Steyr currently also assembles vehicles for Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot.

TTAC Staff
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  • Deanst Deanst on Jan 31, 2014

    Magna must have a new contract with some auto maker for production this facility. It was just announced that they have extended their lease at the Thondorf facility in Graz to 2024.

  • Kristjan Ambroz Kristjan Ambroz on Feb 03, 2014

    Just a minor correction, about 100k annually, not over the whole lifetime of the project.

  • JK Savoy Blue is a thing, but Sestriere White? Sestriere is a ski town near Turin, so I guess it meant to conjure up thoughts of snow. Pretty car. I hope Pininfarina has success. The industry in and around Turin has taken a big hit and is a shadow of its former self.
  • Ravenuer My 2023 CRV EX, 6 mo old, 4800 miles: $0.
  • TheEndlessEnigma My '16 FiST: Oil changes, tires, valve cover gasket (at 112k miles), coolant flush, brakes.....and that's itMy '19 Grand Caravan: Oil changes, coolant flush
  • John Clyne I own a 1997 GMC Suburban that I bought second hand. It was never smoked in but had lost the new car smell when I got it four years after it was sold new. I own a 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche & that still has the new car smell. I like the smell. I could never afford a new car until the Avalanche. It might be my last new car? Why do they build cars with fire retardant materials in them. Smoking rates are falling & if someone continues to smoke in this day & age is a fool especially with all the information out there.
  • Theflyersfan Non-performance models, probably the Civic based on the fact the interior feels and looks better in the Honda. Both of them are going to drive like adequate appliances with small engines and CVTs and get decent mileage, so this is based on where my butt will rest and things my hands and fingers will touch.Toyota doesn't have an answer to the Civic Si so the Honda wins by default.CTR vs GR Corolla. One dealer by me is still tacking on $10,000 markups for the CTR and good luck with the GR Corolla and the "allocation" system. There's that one dealer in Missouri that I pasted their ad a while back wanting $125,000 for a mid-level GR. Nope. But cars.com is still showing markups. Both of these cars will have little depreciation for a while, so the markups equal instant loss. It looks like Cincinnati-area dealers are done with CTR markups. So this is a tough choice. I don't like the Corolla interior. It looks and feels inexpensive. I'm glad Honda toned down the exterior but the excessive wing still looks immature for such an expensive car that 20-somethings likely cannot afford. FWD vs AWD. With price being an object, and long-term maintenance a thing, I'd go with the Honda with a side eye at the Golf R as a mature choice. All with stick shifts.
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